Get our latest book recommendations, author news, competitions, offers, and other information right to your inbox.
Rise of Major League Soccer
Building a Global Giant
By Rick Burton and Norm O'Reilly
Afterword by Mark Abbott / Foreword by Don Garber
Published by Lyons Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
Discover the strategy behind Major League Soccer's rapid rise as it aims to compete with global football giants.
Major League Soccer, armed with its massive Apple sponsorship, the imminent arrival of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, the hosting of the COPA America tournament in 2024, and the signing of the game’s GOAT, Lionel Messi, could make MLS one of the world’s biggest leagues and one, within the next five years, capable of keeping credible company with European leagues such as La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and Bundesliga.
In The Rise of Major League Soccer: Building a Global Giant, experienced sports business experts Rick Burton and Norm O’Reilly dig into the slow but sure growth of Major League Soccer in North America and the advent of major European teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and others attracting huge fan bases in the United States. For soccer enthusiasts, sports business professionals, and anyone curious about the future of American sports, this book is an essential read that captures MLS’s journey to becoming a global powerhouse.
Major League Soccer, armed with its massive Apple sponsorship, the imminent arrival of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, the hosting of the COPA America tournament in 2024, and the signing of the game’s GOAT, Lionel Messi, could make MLS one of the world’s biggest leagues and one, within the next five years, capable of keeping credible company with European leagues such as La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and Bundesliga.
In The Rise of Major League Soccer: Building a Global Giant, experienced sports business experts Rick Burton and Norm O’Reilly dig into the slow but sure growth of Major League Soccer in North America and the advent of major European teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and others attracting huge fan bases in the United States. For soccer enthusiasts, sports business professionals, and anyone curious about the future of American sports, this book is an essential read that captures MLS’s journey to becoming a global powerhouse.
Product Details
- Publisher: Lyons Press (May 6, 2025)
- Length: 200 pages
- ISBN13: 9781493086726
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
“[B]y 2025, MLS had expanded from 10 to 30 teams collectively valued at nearly $20 billion. One reason, suggest Burton and O’Reilly in this exuberant account, is that the young league was hungry enough to take a risk on digital media distribution before its more established competition… But in large part this is the story of the strategic leverage of star power, as celebrity athletes David Beckham and Lionel Messi as well as celebrity owners like Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon would bring MLS into the mainstream.”
– Booklist
“Rick Burton and Norm O’Reilly’s The Rise of Major League Soccer: Building a Global Giant details the fascinating story of the once-little sports league that could.”
– Washington Examiner
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
-
Book Cover Image (jpg): Rise of Major League Soccer
eBook 9781493086726
